The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-09-10
GREAT BoLDNESS OF SLAVE STEAL.
ERS FROM SouDAN.
Slave Dhows Captured by British Vessels.
a Seven Weeks Drive from Khartoum
to the Coast.The Traffic Secretly
FOstered.

Slave Dhows Captured by British Vessels.
a Seven Weeks Drive from Khartoum
to the Coast.The Traffic Secretly
FOstered.
few weeks ngo it was announced in the
house of commons that the slave trade had
been reopenc1 on n large scale on the north
east coast of Africa. Sir ]. Ferguson, tho
under secretary of state for foreign affairs,
said that both the English and French govern
mcnts had taken energetic steps to suppress
the evil. Since that time British vessels in
the Red sea have captured four slave dhows
and the Egyptian government has fitted them
up us cruisers for the suppression of tho i'll
famous trade The Slavers were never so
bold before. They take their human cargoes
to Jeddah, which is the port of Mecca on the
Red sea, and they boldly incur tho greatest
risks. Less than three weeks ago the launch
OF British man of war was attacked by q
SLAYER, and six Englshnlen were wounded in
the fight. The dhow was, however, sunk,
and forty-three slaves were rescued
Tho slave dealers arc Soudanese the fol-
lowers of the new Mahdi. All restriction
upon slave stealing in the Soudan being now
removed, they have once more tapped their
old source of supply i'll southern Darfur and
the Bahr el Ghazal region. Slaves are being
driven by thousands to khartoum. If the
dealers can only smugSle their victims over
to Jeddah and Mecca their profits are elor-
nous. Young women and big boys who can
be driven to the coast ut n total cost of not
over $25 apiece sell readily in the larger Ara
bans towns for from five to ten times that
amount.
The temptation to run great risks i'll order
to pocket these great profits is enormous,
particularly rs the SoudancSc are in dcsper-
ate need of trade goods, and the savcrs have
only to return home with cloth and other de-
sirable commodities to reap another large
harvest. The slave trade is now stimulated
not only by the great profits of the business,
but also by the fact that all trade is contra
band. Tho merchants run just as great risks
if they arc caught with ostrich feathers or
ivory, on which the profit is much less than
on slaves. They are therefore combining
themselves to slaves
| The sufferings of tho poor captives are terri
bic. 1t takes about seven weeks to drive
them from khartoum to the coast. Ono
party that recently left Khartoum 300 strong
reached the coast only 900 in number. The
uOIleS VI OlLltl SlftW tllG route
from Berber to the sea. 1t is said that about
5000 slaves have been smugglctl across tho
Red Sea to Jcddal since Jan. l.. 1t is re.
markable that tho semibarharians of tho
Soudan are able to carry on so large trade
in these. Every dhow whose hold is packed
with black merchandise crosses tho busy
highway followed by most of the vessels ply.
ing between Europe and the Orient.
| Tho slaves arc taken to some little harbo1
or anchorage north or south of Sounkin
which is the only point where British vessels
are stationed They are quickly packed into
dhows VI ich slip over to Jetldah in the night
time. The people of Jeddah and Mecca are
slave dealers themselves and thorough sym.
pathizers with the Soudaneso. and tho traffic
is secretly fostered by tho Turkish authori-
ties i'll those towns. 1t has just been dscov-
cred that many of these new slaves have been
introduced into Egypt oy pilgril bands re.
turning home, who pretend that the captives
are legitimate parts Of their caravan. Many
Of these slaves have been liberated by the
authorities York Sun.